A young soldier in the First World War spends a night looking back at his joyful childhood in Devon, his exciting first days at school, the accident in the forest that killed his father, his adventures with the love of his life, Molly, and the battles and injustices of war that have brought him to the front line.

All of which make for a moving tale - made all the more poignant when you realise it’s the young private’s last night and that he is to be shot for cowardice at dawn.

Inspired by a visit to Ypres, Private Peaceful is a novel by the third Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo that has been adapted for the stage by Scamp Theatre.

On the trip, Michael was shocked to discover how many young soldiers were court-martialled and shot for cowardice during the First World War.

Winner of the Blue Peter Book of the Year, the author counts Private Peaceful, his one hundredth book, as one of his favourites, along with War Horse, currently enjoying enormous success both in the West End and on the silver screen.

Simon Reade’s adaptation of this work for children has been described by the Sunday Herald as ‘as moving as the poetry of Wilfred Owen and as painfully memorable as white-hot shrapnel’ and is best suited to children over the age of eight.

Private Peaceful is on at Wyllyotts Theatre, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar on Sunday, February 26 at 6pm. Details: 01707 645 005, www.wyllyottstheatre.co.uk